Jacqueline Druga - Protocol One

November 2

Peter announced, “Eighteen degrees. Wind chill temperature, minus five. Doable. And I think it’s a good time, because winter is setting in.”

“Seriously?” Tony asked. “Winter is coming? What is this now?”

“Um… autumn?” Peter said.

“Funny. Funny. Fifteen minutes.” Tony told me, “I already waited a week.”

And he did. I really wanted to go into town with him. I needed to step out of the bunker to see what was around. To have a purpose. Peter kept advising against it, especially without transportation. We had passed the ten degree mark and it took a week to get there.

Our original mission was to go to town, find transportation and take supplies, in case we ran into anyone who was in need.

Everyone wanted to go. Everyone except Nelly. She was content to stay inside. Tony and I went by default and a draw of straws gave the honors to Duke and Spencer.

It surprised me with all the things Gil prepared and planned for that he didn’t think of transportation.

That wasn’t so. He did plan on us arriving in a vehicle. Plus he had his people stash a vehicle.

That was one of the Easter Eggs at the bunker.

There were many.

We found two. A game system and movie player. Both would work when plugged into the picture window. But they were useless because any movies or games were still hidden in the bunker. It was Gil’s idea to give Jackson something to pass the time.

Nelly and the kids were on a mission to find those Easter Eggs.

The keys, along with a battery charger, were located in the boiler room. Duke found them earlier, but didn’t think anything of them. And even if he did know what they were for, we didn’t know where the car was hidden.

Apparently, it wasn’t in the bunker.

It was a mile away.

Down the road, right before the drug store, was a concrete garage. We’d find it, Gil said. In a slightly underground bunker of its own, was the old Jeep. It was possible it wouldn’t run.

Duke was confident he was a good enough mechanic that if it could be fixed, he’d get it running.

I hoped that he was right. We needed transportation to get to Elwood City. We could make it on foot, but getting back would be a difficult task, considering the weather.

It was time to go and I was filled with excitement and nervousness.

I went to the radio room to say goodbye, and was surprised that Gil was there.

“Thank you very much Mr. President, I will be in touch soon.” He ended a radio call.

“The real President?” I asked.

“Yes.” Gil answered. “Are you leaving?”

“I am. I came to say goodbye.”

“I’ll walk you up.” Gil stated.

I said goodbye to Tom who wished me luck.

“You have supplies, right?” Gil asked as we hit the stairs. “Remember, do not use them or give them out until you are positive you can return. I’ll come out for you if you aren’t back in four hours.”

“We need more than four hours. And we have the radios.”

“Anna,” He stopped me as we reached the top of the steps. “Something for you to think about while you’re out there.”

“What’s that?”

“The President wants to send transportation up here in a week. He wants me down there, says I can be a big help. It’s thirty degrees down there and rising. You don’t have to live up here. Come with me.”

“Gil, what about everyone else?”

“I can’t take them. I can take you. I want you to come. Things will be good there.”

“Why don’t you stay here?”

“For what reason, Anna?” Gil asked. “Why? If you give me a good reason, I will stay. Otherwise I’m going to go.”

I didn’t know how to respond, I really didn’t. I just stared at him.

He reached down and opened the door for me. “Good luck and be careful.” He kissed me on the cheek. “Think about it. Please?”

My only response was a slight nod of my head in acknowledgment of his request. Stepping into the bay, I saw Tony standing there holding my coat.

“Think about what?” Tony asked.

“You heard?” I placed on the coat.

“Yeah and saw the kissing action. Think about what?”

While I adjusted the coat, Tony handed me my knit face mask. I perched it on my head. “He wants me to go south with him to that bunker.”

“Oh, won’t his wife be thrilled about that?”

That made me laugh.

“You ready?” he asked.

“Actually, I am.”

Tony took hold of my arm and we walked to the blast doors.

Duke and Spencer were already fully suited up. Both of them carried a bag on their shoulder. I had one too, it was empty.

“Remember,” Tony said. “Do not activate your hand warmers yet. It’s gonna be cold. Face coverings down.”

I rolled my mask over my face. Placed on my goggles, and then lifted the hood.

“This is a little overboard.” Spencer said. “It’s cold. But this isn’t Antarctica.”

“Better safe than sorry. We have to walk.” Tony reached for the doors.

I was ready, fully covered and mentally excited. We were leaving the bunker, venturing out and I couldn’t wait to see, good or bad, what was out there.

It had been months since I had left the perimeter of the bunker.

It was time.

Tony opened the doors.

I never really realized how far a mile really was until I had to walk a mile in that cold. Bitter cold. It didn’t matter how much lining I had. By the time we reached the fence, I was frozen.

We were still quite a distance from our destination.

There wasn’t a single sound out there. No birds or animals. No planes in the sky causing a low hum you don’t realize is there until it’s gone.

Life sounds were gone.

The tree line road was still partially tree lined.

There were no leaves and the trees we saw that weren’t covered by snow were black and dead.

Actually, the trees were literally half dead. One side had taken the brunt of the heat wave.

The boots I wore were a little big for me and I kept slipping in them. My feet were cold. I knew they’d be numb before too long even though I wore lots of socks. Those hand warmers were going in my shoes first chance I got.

The ash on the road was still there but it was hard like a rock and covered with a thin layer of ice. It crunched as we walked and I had to lift my legs with every step. Every so often in the short one mile journey, I would regret not staying back and staying warm. What lay ahead and the vision of the aftermath kept me going.

What would we find? What would we see?

Was it a dead world? Outside the bunker it certainly was.

We stayed close, not really speaking, conserving our breath and trying not to inhale too much cold air. Spencer made a comment that it reminded him of a winter ten years earlier and he didn’t have the gear we had now. I started thinking it was just me, because Tony, Duke and Spencer looked unfazed.

The garage was a welcome sight. It wouldn’t be warm there, but at least it was a chance to get a vehicle. It looked little and square and I wondered how such a small garage could house a jeep and protect it from the insane elements.

Once the garage door was opened, I saw how. It opened to a ramp that went below. Dark and cold, the Jeep was there as promised, and Duke wasted no time getting to work on it.

While he did that, I walked up the ramp half way and pulled out the radio.

“Protocol One, come in.”

“This is Protocol One,” Gil replied. “Been waiting to hear. How is it out there?”

“Cold.” I replied. “Very cold.”

“Well, it’s warmer than when I arrived.”

“This isn’t a competition.” I said.